It’s extraordinary to think we are coming towards what would have been the end of our season at Exeter Racecourses.

This, my first season in the South-West has been a testing year operationally but we pulled together and had some fabulous racedays when the ground was kind to us, I hope we were as clear as we could have been at every step of the way during those testing weeks.  Our rainfall quantities this winter was no-doubt record-breaking in terms of volume and timescale, which is hard to believe now after having only a small amount of rainfall since early March.

Nevertheless, it is pleasing to end the season knowing average field sizes were at a near ten year high for both tracks, so I’d like to thank owners and trainers for their continued support at Exeter and Wincanton racecourses.

This was the first season our refurbished female changing room and bespoke physiotherapy area was used, we have now set ourselves a new standard for Jockey facilities. Our new All-Weather crossings have been a success in their first season, they have greatly improved the racing surface up the home straight. Similarly, the revised location of the first fence in the back straight was well received this season and will remain in the same position moving forward.

Our summer isn’t going to pan out the way I’d have planned this year because various projects are on hold but the feedback received about areas we need to place a focus on will not go unheard and planning can continue for the future. We will spend the summer working on core activities, primarily rebuilding and refreshing fences while also mowing the turf with the expectation to be ready for our usual new season inspection in Mid-September.

I wish everyone a safe and healthy summer and I look forward to liaising with you during the course of the next few months.

Take care, and we hope to see you soon.

Daniel Cooper, Clerk of Exeter Racecourse